


Comfort

by that_one_kid



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Ace eleventh doctor, Asexual Character, F/F, F/M, Fluff, awkward discussions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 09:29:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2807660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/that_one_kid/pseuds/that_one_kid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>River scares Eleven and learns how not to, and has an awkward talk with the not really inlaws.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Comfort

The TARDIS was empty, a gentle hum echoing through the corridors. There was a click from the door, and something resembling a happy sigh as the TARDIS doors burst open. River stumbled on, snow in her hair and her face flushed red with cold. She was wrapped tightly in the doctor's tweed coat. The doctor followed her through, slamming the doors behind him. Snow dusted his shirt and suspenders.  
"Fine," he panted after a second. "We should have turned left." River laughed, shaking her hair clean.  
"I told you so," she said. "Now, let's head to the kitchen." She glanced at the doctor. He gave her a guilty look in response. "You didn't."  
"Remember that bubble universe?" he said, and shrugged. "What can you do?"  
"Seriously? Fine." River hesitated. "Where can a girl get a drink in this place?" She asked in stumbling Gallifreyan. He smiled.  
~  
Turns out you could get one in the library. River sat by the edge of the pool, admiring the library and sipping her steaming hot chocolate. The doctor ran around wildly, pulling out books at random and occasionally tossing one at River. He was excited to show her something, that he normally kept secret. She grinned. Her only hint had been that she wouldn't be able to pronounce it.  
The doctor came over, frustrated and empty handed. While he was distracted, she pulled him towards her lap, but he jerked away. She froze. Somehow she'd... frightened him.  
"What's wrong, sweetie?" She asked, and he shook his head without answering. "Okay," she said, "I scared you, I'm sorry."  
"It's just- I mean- I'm" the doctor was stuttering, and River was getting seriously concerned. If there was one thing she knew about her doctor, it was that he didn't have a problem with words. Stuttering was new.  
"It's fine," she said, cutting him off before he could work himself into a panic. "You don't need to explain if you don't want to," He looked relieved, so she continued. "Let's watch a movie. That one with you in it, being ridiculous." He smiled a little, almost by habit.  
"River, River. As if that narrows it down." River took the doctor's arm and they wandered off to find a room with a television.  
The TARDIS was surprisingly obliging, and they were soon seated in front of a flickering screen. River carefully sat an arms length away from the doctor, but he slid over until she could feel the warmth of his side. Confused but happy for the contact, she curled into him and watched the movie.  
~  
She stood outside the Victorian house, unusually nervous. She began to fiddle with the vortex manipulator on her wrist, but steeled herself and knocked on the door. It flew open a heartbeat later, and River hastily lowered her gaze to the Sontaron in the doorway. They could be touchy about their height.  
"Hello," she began, forcing herself to sound collected. "Do Madams Jenny and Vastra reside here?"  
"They do," the Sontaron said, opening the door. "You must clear high authority checks to enter this household or face the wrath of the Sontaron Empire."  
"Of course," said River.  
"May I take your coat?" The Sontaron, who she suddenly recognized as Strax, led her back through the house to where Jenny and Vastra were cleaning an ominously scarlet katana.  
"Ah, River. Do sit down." Jenny said, gesturing at a chair across the room.  
"Good, you know who I am. It's surprisingly stressful, traveling by TARDIS. I never know quite when I'll end up," She sat in the uncomfortable chair, while Jenny and Vastra stayed seated on their shared chair.  
"Is the doctor all right?" Vastra said, her worry showing only in the slight hiss in her voice. River nodded, preoccupied.  
"Yes, he's fine. I wanted to ask you about something else..."  
~  
"You are correct. The doctor is asexual, or ace, as it is most commonly called." Vastra said, voice even.  
"Have you gone a darker shade of green?" Strax asked from the doorway.  
"Shut up," she hissed, hand going to her sword.  
"That means-" Jenny began, turning to River.  
"I know what it means, sweetie." River interrupted, quickly. She was blushing as well. Jenny and Strax seemed unfazed.  
River said her farewells a few minutes later, and stepped out into the cool air of Victorian London. She sighed, and turned around to where the TARDIS was waiting at a street corner.  
"I said, 'you should not follow me'" River said, pretending to be irritated. "'Under any circumstances'" The doctor grinned and ducked his head.  
"Who knows what you were doing," he said, flipping levers. "I wasn't going to help you assassinate anyone. Visiting friends is another matter." She smiled, and wrapped him in a hug. "Okay, the hug is nice, but I don't know what's happening." He didn't make any move to back away, though. River grinned.  
"Spoilers," He turned his head to hide his amusement. "Now hush, let's go on another adventure." He nodded, pulling away from her hug and running to the far side of the console. She tapped a few keys while he spun a wheel and they were off, parking brake and all. She looked across the TARDIS at the man she loved, and vowed that she would never scare him again.  
"How about the singing towers?" she asked. The doctor looked over at her and shook his head, a sudden inexplicable sadness in his eyes.  
"I'll take you later." He turned away.  
"I love you," River said, under her breath. He turned back.  
"I love you too." River stopped, stunned. She had never heard him say that, not to anyone. Not to Rose, even. "And I say that because I trust you." he said.  
"I... I didn't know you could hear me."  
"I can always hear you." he rubbed her shoulder fondly, and she smiled.  
"Geronimo." she said, and the TARDIS landed. They ran out the doors, laughing, and the TARDIS was empty again. It was silent for a moment, and then a mummer rang through the halls, a relieved sigh. All was well.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic on ao3, please comment! :) Also, my tabs and formatting were lost, so sorry about that.


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